If you have any queries about the role or would like to discuss it in more detail, please contact Lindsey Mepham, Development Director, by email.

To apply for this role, forward a completed application form (available for download from http://kes.org.uk/alumni-relations-and-stewardship-officer.html) and covering letter (of no more than two sides of A4), addressed to Becky Smith (HR Manager), by email.

King Edward's School and King Edward VI High School for Girls are both committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check. A copy of each School’s Recruitment, Selection and Disclosure Policy is available on the Schools’ websites.

King Edward’s School (KES) and King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS), two of the best independent day schools in the country, seek an Alumni Relations and Stewardship Officer to support the stewardship and communications activity of a Development Office shared across the two Schools. The post-holder will work closely with the Director of Development and in consultation with the Director of Marketing and Communications, to produce high quality alumni communications and donor reports, also coordinating the major gift stewardship activity at each School.

The Alumni Relations and Stewardship Officer will work to foster a positive and engaged relationship between the Schools, Old Edwardians, and donors. The role involves project management of key communications and events, database management, IT support, and some data analysis.

The post holder will play a key role in two major fundraising campaigns for Assisted Places (bursaries), including the relaunched Assisted Places Campaign at KES, which has already raised £10.6m and is one of the largest bursary fundraising campaigns in the UK, and the Delyvere Campaign at KEHS, which has raised over £1.5million. This is an exciting time for someone looking to build a career in fundraising to join an award winning, highly successful Development Office.

1. The post

1.1 Overall description of the role

The Alumni Relations and Stewardship Officer will report to the Development Director, supporting them in the stewardship of major donors. The post-holder will manage the stewardship processes for each School, developing and implementing programmes which acknowledge the generosity of donors at all giving levels, but particularly those mid- and high- level donors who have made exceptional gifts to the Schools. The post-holder will project manage donor reports for each School and work with the Director of Development to manage new recognition societies, working with colleagues in the Marketing and Communications team on the branding and materials associated with membership.

The post-holder will also take day-to-day responsibility for annual and quarterly alumni publications, liaising closely with the Director of Marketing and Communications at KES and the Alumnae Engagement Manager at KEHS to produce high quality publications and email/social media communications to schedule.

1.2 Key responsibilities

Fundraising and stewardship:

Ensuring donors are appropriately thanked and stewarded and the administrative side is accurate and up-to-date following meetings, including the coordination of annual, bespoke reports to Sponsors.

Ensure that all aspects of stewardship activity are recorded accurately in the database (Raiser’s Edge).

Responsible for the Development Office stewardship policy and implementation of this (sponsor reports, credits on plaques and in publications, invitations to events and the receipt of publications).

Working with the Development Director and Database Manager to track, initiate and provide reports to funders supporting specific areas of Development work.

Whilst this role is largely self-supporting, during peak times the Development Assistant will provide some support. Likewise, this role will assist colleagues with key development and alumnae activities including events.

Communications:

Coordinate the planning, research, and production of personalized narrative and financial reports to the major donors.

Proactively monitor and manage the stewardship needs of donors.

Build a complete understanding of each donor's involvement and giving activity.

Support the Development Director in researching and stewarding a specific pool of potential donors, who have the capability of making gifts of up to £5,000 per year.

Work with the Development Director and Database Manager, to maintain and increase giving to the Annual Fund. Manage the stewardship of donors to the Annual Fund.

Supporting the Director of Development and Director of Marketing and Communications at KES, to produce key communications, including alumni magazines, donor reports and Campaign brochures. This will include research and the provision of copy for articles and donor lists, and liaising with external agencies where appropriate.

Day-to-day management of all online communications, including the Old Edwardian and Trust websites and all social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

Maintaining the consistency of the Old Edwardian Club and Trust branding across communications.

Working closely with the OEA Events Manager and Alumni Engagement Manager on all event communications, including attending some events, as required.

Data:

Working with the Database Manager, Alumnae Engagement Manager, and Development Assistant, the post-holder will locate and then contact Old Edwardians that we have lost touch with.

Keeping the database up to date with changes made by Old Edwardians to their contact details.

Working with the Development Director, the post-holder will implement and manage recognition process across major donor records on the database (Raiser’s Edge and Raiser’s Edge NXT). This will include regular imports and exports of large amounts of data (e.g. for mailings, mail merges) as well as data cleansing, segmenting, de-duplicating and performing global actions and changes to records.

Maintaining best practice as regards to key data protection policies.

Other:

Any other duties as may be reasonably required by the Development Director, Chief Master, or Principal.

2. The qualities and key skills required

The ideal candidate would be expected to show evidence of many of the following skills and qualities. The following table demonstrates qualities that would be considered essential or desirable and how these will be tested during the recruitment process.

Experience and Knowledge (tested in covering letter, application form and at interview):

Essential

Fundraising and stewardship

Understanding of the cultivation and stewardship cycle – including prospect management, prospect tracking, and stewardship.

Communications

Experience of writing for a range of audiences and media

Understanding of digital and online communications methods, and a willingness to stay abreast of innovations in this area.